Lynley Mysteries: Five Minutes
by Ayrton
Summary: My take on a short scene from 'Limbo': Barbara Havers' thoughts on her friendship with Lynley.


Five Minutes

The place was already buzzing with rumours when Havers arrived and one of the colleagues of the night shift filled her in. Detective Superintendent Tate had arrested Lynley this morning on suspicion of rape and murder. For a moment Havers lost the ability to breathe. Her heart filled itself with the fear that the man might actually have done such a stupid, horrible thing.

When she had met him last week -for the first time in months- he hadn't exactly been a picture of dignity and balance. And the sight of all the empty liquor bottles in the bin outside his front door wasn't a good omen either. When Barbara had asked him about his sessions with the police psychologist, he had come close to snapping her head off. He would have, if it weren't for his noble upbringing. But he made sure then that Barbara got the message loud and clear: stop meddling and leave me be.

And now he was in trouble.

Deep trouble.

Through the hive of activity in the hallways, she suddenly saw a glimpse of red hair which stunned her into movement. Outside her office, Barbara caught up with Tate. Of course the DS knew what her request would be, but she didn't mercifully prevent the sergeant from eating humble pie.

"Can I just speak to him?"

"Why the rush?"

"You know bloody well he didn't kill that woman."

She saw Tate literally swallowing a rebuke. One didn't speak to a superior in that manner. Barbara was totally out of line and knew it. But a feeling of compassion was not totally alien to the superintendent. She gave Havers the opportunity to apologize.

"I'm sorry, ma'am" All hope had just died within her, but she didn't let is show and continued. "I'm just concerned about inspector Lynley's welfare."

"And I'm concerned about the welfare of the young woman I have just scraped off the pavement this morning."

"He's my partner, ma'am and six months ago his wife was shot died in front of him...I just want to do right by him."

Tate had the uncanny ability of seeing right through you as if she were reading you like a book. There was an impressive list of solved cases with her name on it and now Barbara Havers was subject to this woman's intuitive talent. Barbara got a taste of how guilty suspects had to feel under this scrutinizing look. And although she wasn't a crime suspect, there was a great deal in Barbara Havers heart she desperately tried to hide.

In a man's world like the one she worked in, this was now an effortless habit she'd taught herself over the years. Men were often surprisingly dense when confronted with matters of the heart. But every time Barbara dealt with a female colleague, she was on her guard. Especially when the conversation shifted to the unusual partnership between the low-born policewoman and the eighth Earl of Asherton. Never would she disclose her real feelings about Tommy Lynley. She kept them hidden under lock and key in the farthest corner of her heart.

She hated herself for this weakness. She was an emancipated, independent woman and proud of the fact that she'd made it this far in the police force. She'd managed on her own, despite many set backs at the home front. She had worked hard and had learned early on that you should leave your feelings at home when you left for work in the morning.

As the years went by, she found it increasingly difficult to do just that. From the moment she was assigned to Lynley, these feelings were shamelessly surfacing at most inconvenient moments and every day she found it harder to control them. She had tried to resist it and was able to maintain her impersonal attitude toward him for a while. She virtually clung to the idea that the path in the life of a man of his stature was always paved with gold. But slowly this strong rooted resentment was sliced away, layer for layer.

Dangerous.

Deadly for her career and even more deadly for the friendship they had built over the years. Barbara had always kept her distance. But when Helen was shot dead, she too found herself in turmoil. The fact that Tommy was married had always given her a feeling of tranquillity and safety. Now all that had changed dramatically. And right now he was acting like a helpless, obstinate child which brought out the maternal side of Barbara, one she had gladly cast off after all those years of caring for her mother.

It had cost her all of her self restraint to _not_ visit him every day after Helen's death. She'd called on occasion and had contacted his mother sometimes to hear how he really was doing. But she'd left it at that. If she was truly honest with herself, she would have to admit that this behaviour was born purely out of self preservation. Tommy was no longer off limits and although she'd sworn not to make a fool of herself and risk her career by telling him of her love for him, there was always this sparkle of hope deep inside her that told her she deserved a little happiness in her life.

And here she was, begging to see him for a few minutes, with an eerie feeling that this request might be the first step to a change in her life.

"Five minutes." Tate said.

"Thank you ma'am."

She felt Tate's eyes burn in her back all the way to the interview room.

She knew.

Shit.


End file.
